Understanding
by Black and Silver Dreamer
Summary: A songfic. I'm really bad at summaries but it's about Tomoe and Kenshin's last moment together


**************** This song is 'Understanding' by Evanescence. I don't own the song, and I don't own any of the Kenshin characters… Thank you and enjoy. *******************

_You hold the answers deep within your own mind_

_Consciously you've forgotten it._

_That's the way the human mind works_

_Whenever something is too unpleasant _

_too shameful for us to entertain, we reject it._

_We erase it from our memories_

_But the imprint is always there_

He had to do this, for her, for her love, for his new life, and for his love for her. This man had to die. He raised his sword high, closing his eyes as he swung hard.

_Can't wash it all away_

_Can't wish it all away_

_Can't hope it all away_

_Can't cry it all away_

He felt a stinging pain across his cheek, and opened his eyes, his voice choked in his throat as he dropped his blood soaked sword, the pain on his cheek no longer mattered. The man he had struck at lay dead, staining the virgin snow red, but his blood had not been the one to stain his sword. __

_The pain that grips you_

_The fear that binds you_

_Releases life in me_

_In our mutual_

_Shame hides our eyes_

_To blind them from the truth_

_That finds a way from who we are_

"Tomoe... dear gods... what have I done?" he rushed to her side, blood soaking through her kimono already. His hands shook as her blood stained them.

She turned to him, and smiled weakly.

_Please don't be afraid_

_When the darkness fades away_

_The dark will break the silence_

_Screaming in our hearts_

_My love for you still grows_

_Before I try to fight the truth my final time_

"Tomoe...." he choked out, holding her closely, a million questions raced through his head, but he could only manage to once again whisper out, "Dear gods..."__

_We're supposed to try to be real_

_And I feel alone, and we're not together_

_And that is real_

"...Tomoe...why?" he asked, tears filling his eyes, yes he, the assassin, the Battousai, could cry, that realization made him remember his humanity, something she had been trying to bring out in him.

_Can't wash it all away_

_Can't wish it all away_

_Can't hope it all away_

_Can't cry it all away_

"...Don't cry..." she said softly, the same small smile on her face.__

_Lying beside you_

_Listening to you breathe_

_The life that flows inside of you_

_Burns inside of me_

_Hold and speak to me_

_Of love without a sound_

"...Please, Tomoe... don't leave me..." he whispered as he cradled her close.__

_Tell me you will live through this_

_And I will die for you_

_Cast me not away_

_Say you'll be with me_

_For I know I cannot _

_Bear it all alone_

"...I'm sorry..." she spoke softer than a whisper but he heard her words still.

"I need you Tomoe! You can't leave me alone like this!"__

_You're not alone are you?_

_Never...Never..._

"...I'm sorry..." she managed to say again, she reached for his hand, but her strength was failing quickly, and her grasp found only air. 

He took hold of her hand, and held it tightly; trying to hold onto her, hold onto her life.__

_Can't fight it all _

_Can't hope it all away_

_Can't scream it all away_

_It just won't fade away, no_

He saw the blood staining her white kimono and he knew that she was going to leave him soon. "Tomoe... I love you..." he whispered.__

_Can't wash it all _

_Can't wish it all away_

_Can't scream it all away_

_Can't fight it all _

_Can't hope it all away_

_Can't scream it all away_

_It just won't fade away, no_

_Ooh, it all away_

_Ooh, it all away_

She smiled, "...I...love.......you....too..." she coughed up some blood, and Kenshin wiped it from her lips. 

He hesitated, before leaning in and lightly kissing her lips, as their lips parted he felt her go limp in his arms, her eyes shutting. 

_But the imprint is always there_

_Nothing is ever really forgotten _

_Because I'm tired of it too_

_Because I'm tired of it too_

_Because I'm tired of it too_

_Because I'm tired of it too_

"...Tomoe..." he whispered out, hoping against hope that she would open her eyes, and return to him, but that never happened, and he stayed there, cradling her lifeless body close.

A tear fell from his eye, rolling down his cheek, mingling with the blood from the cut on his cheek, before falling onto her pale cheek, "Never again will my sword spill blood..."  he vowed, his voice choked with grief. He stroked the bloody tear from her cheek, "Tomoe...Your blood has killed him... The Battousai is dead..." __

_Because I'm tired of it too_


End file.
